Peter King, Ruppersberger: Congress Not Being Stonewalled on NSA

Republican and Democratic congressmen agreed Sunday that they are not being stonewalled in their efforts to get to the bottom of data collection by the National Security Agency.

Republican Rep. Peter King of New York and Democratic Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland appeared on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday, denying reports by Guardian reporter Glen Greenwald that the spy agency isn't cooperating with Congressional investigations.

Greenwald told "This Week" that Republican Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia and Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida showed him "very detailed letters" trying to get information, but they had been blocked.

Greenwald said a 2011 FISA court ruling said that much of what the NSA was doing violated both the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution and other legal statutes. The secret FISA court gave the OK for the ruling to be made public, but the Obama administration has ruled it must remain classified, he said.

Members of Congress investigating the agency's collection of data on Americans have asked to read the opinion, but were denied, he said.

"They say they are forced to learn what the NSA is doing from what they're reading in our reporting," Greenwald told ABC.

Ruppersberger said that isn't true.

The NSA testified multiple times and is giving as much information as congressmen requested, he said.

King agreed with Ruppersberger. "I've found that those who are most critical in public ask the least questions in private," King said. "Anyone who says that Congress is somehow being stonewalled is just wrong, and it's generally raised by people who are trying to make a name for themselves."

Republican and Democratic congressmen agreed Sunday that they are not being stonewalled in their efforts to get to the bottom of data collection by the National Security Agency.
Republican Rep. Peter King of New York and Democratic Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland...